Where's the Silver Lining Now? [Memorial for Diana Moridena | Pubs | All Jedi & Friends]

[Avalore Eden]

Cato Neimoidia
Home of Jedi Master Diana Moridena

They say there's a silver lining to every grey cloud.

They say with grief comes a sense of reprieve. A time to let out all the pain and frustrations you may have held back for the sake of a loved one's happiness and comfort while they were living.

They say that in death, there is a certainty of peace. That you can rest easy knowing a lost soul can find its way to some form of paradise. That you return to all those that've gone before you.

I won't lie, the temptations pretty awful.

I was standing over the edge of the bridge city and all I could think of was all the things they say. It sounded so easy, pleasant even. The thought of seeing the faces of my family again, well, I don't think I'd ever smiled so hard with so much sadness in me. I swayed in the winds for a long time, leaning over the precipice in the twilight hours, going back and forth between the sting of one more death and the uncertainty of the rest of my life. I didn't have anyone left to stop me. Didn't have anyone left to pull me back. I was going to do it. I was going to take that leap of faith and find that silver lining in the clouds for myself.

Then the damn Caretaker Droid appeared with that hovering carriage and all bets were off.

I couldn't do it. I hadn't yet finished what I started. This isn't about me. It was never about me, was it.

KIFFU
Night of Diana Moridena's Memorial

Avalore Eden, once Padawan of Jedi Master Diana Moridena, had been the first to receive news of the woman's demise. Truth be told she wasn't sure why, but in the end these sorts of details hardly mattered. It had taken many days to set things into motion: collecting the body, deciding on a proper memorial, and gaining permission to see it through after getting in touch with the right people. Avalore decided it would be held on Kiffu, Diana's home world, where her family could see to her proper funerary arrangements.

Next Avalore sent word to the Jedi Council and Republic. She wasn't sure if it was what Diana would have wanted, but it felt like the right thing to do. After all, Avalore hadn't been Diana's only pupil, nor had she been Diana's only friend. In many ways Diana had, for a measure of time, been a Hero of the Republic and a sigil of hope within the Jedi Council. Surely there were others who would attend, but the only thing she could do was wait and see.

 

[Alan]

Tracyn wore white. He had no reason to wear anything else but a bright color. Funerals were for mourning, memorials were for the happy times, for the times that they had to remember. He knew the threat of constantly remembering the loss, rather than focusing on what made the person unique and great. He had done it before, and he didn't want the rest of his friends to do the same. His facial expression was blank, his aging face, hardened and a slight stubble set on it due to Tracyn's lack of affinity for shaving. Tracyn walked forward, holding his hands out in front of him. His armor, was left behind. It was left behind somewhere where he would only take it when he needed it, and he seemed to carry himself more of a Jedi nowadays. He came to the memorial, with his eyes dried and his heart not as heavy. He stepped forward, coming into the cluster of Jedi that had formed. He looked up and saw [member="Avalore Eden"], and he pursed his lips in thought, and concern, moreso.


Tracyn saw the other Jedi gather, clustering around to commemorate this great Jedi, their fallen Master. He blinked, turning his head to look at the Jedi present."There is no death, there is the force."Tracyn looked at the Jedi, his lips twitching and his eyes beginning to water. As strong as he was, there was even a moment where he would need someone to lean on, just as they all would, losing someone so great, so powerful and so wise. Diana would not be the first, and she would not be the last.

 

[Saki]

Diana had been a better jedi then she and Saki would honor her with a look at her chrono as she stood off to the side and crossed her arms letting the skullthumper dangle off her shoulder. She could see Tracyn and all the other things not caring what really happened or who came. The masters padawan was here taking it all in while the Hapen would try to ensure nothing to bad happened from the others. Less problems and less banter was preferable.

 

[Marakai Al'Orren]

Ossus

Curled up in the embrace of a tree limb in the middle of the jungle of Ossus, Mara looked up through the canopy towards the cloud-filled sky. It was going to rain, and soon, if her nose was accurate as it usually was. Fitting, she mused, for what she'd learned that morning.

Fingers flicked over the screen of the datapad in her lap, typing out a message to Sarge. She had no idea where he was, or even if he'd read it seeing it was from her. But she needed to tell him about Diana. The pressure in her chest increased, making it impossible to breathe for several moments, but her fingers still typed.

<< Just got word on Ossus that Diana's gone. Avalore commed to let me know, but I didn't ask her if she called you. The funeral's on Kiffu in two days. I'm leaving tomorrow to go. Do you want to come? I'd appreciate the company. >>

It seemed politely worded enough. She managed to keep her emotions out of the words though she was pretty sure he'd 'hear' them anyway. Mara clicked send and sighed softly, wondering if he'd bother replying at all-

*ding*

Startled, she looked down at the screen. A response, and a prompt one at that. Mara blinked and drew in a ragged breath as she opened it.


<< You'd need to leave ASAP to make it in two days. So would I.>>

And a second one a mere moment later.

<< I'll go to pay my respects, but I won't stay long. I hate funerals. They're like weddings. Depressing and someone always ruins it by sleeping with the bride. >>


<< Thank you... >>

Fingers tucked the datapad in the pocket of her cargo pants, before she shifted into her feline form and ran back to the Temple.


------------------------------------------------------------


Kiffu

It had taken the entire two days to make the trip, but at least it had been made in relative comfort. She wasn't the only one that had come from Ossus, and they had all banded together to make the trip. None of them had wanted to travel alone. Mara shook herself as she stepped down the ramp of the ship, her feline form stretching as it moved. She slipped back into her human form as she caught up to the others, fingers smoothing out the pale, silvery-gray dress she wore. Auburn curls were neatly pinned up and away from her face, leaving her bloodshot golden gaze visible amidst tear-stained features.

She walked silently, where the others chattered softly, breaking away from the group as they approached the appointed site for the memorial. Mara moved to stand beside Avalore, fingers reaching to gently touch the woman's shoulder. She offered a tiny, watery smile and nod, before she cast her gaze across the rest of those coming to assemble to memorialize Diana.

 

[Jsc]

Sam was in attendance and gowned in golden Tetan fashion. She had never known this fallen comrade but the stories and legends remained. It was a long trip to make for a woman she had never known, but perhaps there would come vacation time afterwards. For now there was a ceremony to attend to. Sam would remain pleasantly, present.

 

[Fen]

The young padawan stood toward the back of the crowd, face shrouded by the hood of his brown robe. Beneath the cowl a face too hard and worn for his age looked upon the memorial of Diana Moridena. He had not known her well. She and Daella had ever been steadfast friends, united in their insatiable desire for war against the Dark Side. Of course, Daella revealed herself a traitor on Coruscant, a spy in their midst all along. He wondered what that must have felt like for Diana, to know her best friend was the very evil she sought to destroy; to know that that person who she, by all accounts, trusted most in the galaxy had manipulated her and used her, as Daella had used them all.

A heavy breath escaped Ryan's lungs, pushed out through his nose. He had not realized he'd been holding it in. Now he could feel the tightening in his chest. The old anger. He never could shake that hate.

Diana and Daella had pressed them into war against half the galaxy in a proclaimed pursuit of all Dark Siders. Diana had been an unwitting accomplice to a Sith, but a willing accomplice to the provocation and conflagration of conflicts that cost countless millions of lives. She had had a hand in the Empire's destruction, but the Council and the Republic became greedy for more conquest. All of it... leading to this...

The scarred features remained passive, a rough hewn sculpture of solid rock. Beneath them, a boiling anger. It went against the code, but Ryan could not help what he felt for this woman. He grit his teeth, muscles in his jaw writhing, and turned away.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

KIFFU​

OMEGA PROTECTORATE SPACE​

Tap-tap.

Tap-tap.

If this memorial had been in Republic territory, she might not have come. Force alone knew that the Jedi had no jurisdiction here, and the Protectorate wouldn't touch this funeral with a ten-foot pole. As safe a place as a woman could ask.

She limped to the forefront of the crowd, a woman in simple Jedi robes with a Jedi sabre at her belt, and rested on her gimer stick. She'd fought Moridena at O'reen, convinced her to leave -- she owed Moridena for her role in sparing O'reen further unnecessary bloodshed.

No reason not to show up.

 

[HK-36]

Soft clanking was heard with the droid's each step, the armored being wore his bit battered ceremonial armor, commendations removed only to show the emblems of his allegiance to Protectorate and Abregado.
HK was an old soldier, his grey cloak hung off of his shoulder, cascading down his back single lightsaber and a holstered shattergun were seen on his belt, his tools of trade.

Diana and him were allies of sorts on the battle of Dromund Kaas, both there to aid the Mandalorian forces, although she has taken to battle on land, while the droid faced the enemies in naval theater, commanding boarding forces to cut off Sith retreat. They both had taken part in the battle that day, they were both soldiers, although they neither saw or spoke to each other.

But he was still there, an old soldier paying his respect to a soldier fallen in war.

Once it was his turn to step in front of the crowd, he gave a bow to deceased Diana, muttering out softly to her,
"May you find happiness in a place where there is no war."

And he would be moving on, through his additional armored plates, traditional robes and tunics of a Jedi could be seen, old reminders of the time of service the droid has done for the Jedi in ancient times. He went on to join others in the crowd.

On his way there he gave a simple nod to [member="Ashin Varanin"], greeting in quiet monotone voice as he passed by her,
"Hello again, Young Lady."
Like Treebeard greeting Gandalf.. of sorts.

 

[Simone]

The stylus in Simone's hand rattled incessantly against her datapad, the noise echoing of the quiet walls of the memorial hall. Annoying for most people, but she was utterly oblivious to it. Plenty of Jedi and Republic soldiers had fallen since the war started, memorials were popping up left right and centre. Safe to say she'd attended a few, but none of them piqued her excitement quite like this one.

Diana Moridena, best friend to Daella Apparine, the sith that had everybody fooled. Called murderer and warmonger by her own kin. Yet from the research Simone had done, the woman was far from a murderer and her war mongering was against the greatest threat the galaxy had. Considering the current circumstances, Simone was all for anyone looking to beat the sith into the ground. So, she had come with her datapad and stylus and a holocam hovering at her shoulder with the intent of rubbing salt into wounds and seeing just what happened.

Wait...was that Ashin Varanin? "Holy feth." Simone breathed. Waving her hand at the holocam it whizzed away, circling the crowd, relaying images back to the datapad. She made it zoom and focus on the legend's limping form, slowly coming closer till it was in front of Ashin it hovered there for a moment, at least until a HK droid cut into the frame. "Ladies and gentlemen," Simone muttered from her quiet corner "My day just went from good to fething epic." She sent another command and the holocam whirred away from Ashin and back to over over Simone's shoulder. She drew from her quiet corner and pushed herself into the throng of guests.

Time to get the salt out.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="HK-36"]
It had been a long, long while since she'd seen the ancient assassin droid who claimed to be her ancestor. He got a nod in return as he passed her, but her eyes -- unnaturally pale blue, relics of a decade of Sith Poison toxicity -- focused in on the floating holocam.

Paparazzi.

Yes, Brenda, Ashin Varanin was spotted at a Jedi social function! Scandal! She wore Galactic House of Burlap with last season's Murr Earrings and Jimmy Choos. Her necklace is a Sigil of Hope, very chic.

 

[Not Ordo]

The poor silent young Padawan of no consequence walked in to the crowd and began making his way through the crowd. His saber hung on his belt and his satchel sat cross body over his shoulder. He didn't know the Jedi Master personally but the big green student wouldn't miss this for the world. Black eyes scanned the crowd and noted a few faces he had seen a time or two. The silent form moved through the crowd and found a quiet place to stand and wait while the proceeding took place.

'Everything has a Purpose' he thought as he made mental notes on the faces and names as they drifted to his attention.

 

[Ayden Cater]

Ayden stood near the front of the crowd. Funerals were always a terrible business, and he remembered first seeing the woman step into his office, timid and wide-eyed at being in his presence alongside the Grandmaster. A lot had changed in that time. He had of course read the reports, learned of how she fell on Dromund Kaas. When the request came from the Jedi Order to bury her on Kiffu, he had accepted instantly. As a Jedi, she deserved as much. As a hero to the Republic and a model for many Jedi, she deserved more.

Security was light; not out of some sense of disrespect but due to the presence of so many Jedi and it's location well into the Protectorate's boarder. No one was going to make trouble at this funeral, or there would be a second one to have. A few droids monitored the perimeter and a single C/T 400 kept watch from in the air, but otherwise it was expected that the peace would be kept of its own accord. A memorial was no place for a fight.

It was for that reason that when Ayden spotted the face of Ashin Varanin that he did not immediately draw his blade. Of course, that was not the only reason. He knew her well enough to know that she preferred to lead from the front, to do the things she would ask of others in a fight. However, she had been curiously absent from Eriadu. It spoke of a potential schism, a possibility reinforced by scant reports that she had not been seen amongst the ruling figures of the Fringe for some time. Regardless, he saw her face and did nothing. He could only hope as much for the other Jedi.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

If there was one Jedi who wouldn't touch [member="Ashin Varanin"] with a ten foot pole - or his magic willy - it was Sarge. She was, in so far as Sarge had any, an old friend. An old friend from a time when she was still Sith Empress and he bodyguard to the Lady Protector. It took all sorts, really, and he had always prided himself on knowing who to trust and just how much. He hadn't been wrong yet.

But there was a part of him that knew when he was wrong, it was going to be disastrous. But until then... the Master shifted the way his duster was settled over beskar covered shoulders. He was, so far as he could tell, the only person armored here - aside from HK and the guards, but droids weren't people.

Sighing, he gave a low nod to [member="Ayden Cater"] and took up a spot next to Ashin. He didn't have to see her to know who it was. He knew the smell of her anywhere. "Fine day to die." He says, only vaguely sarcastic. It was hard to tell through his helmet speakers. Mara was probably around here somewhere, but it was hard to tell exactly where.

There were more than enough people here to make him uncomfortable, and the unsnapped holster on his thigh spoke to that. As did the way his head stayed on a swivel, as if expecting a knife in the back at any second.

So here they were - Lord Protector, Former Sith Empress... and a Jedi Master hardly known outside the Republic. It was almost enough to put a smile on his face. Almost.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Kiffu, Omega Protectorate space


Siobhan Kerrigan was there amongst the crowd as one by one they paid their respects to a fallen warrior, a Jedi paladin. Siobhan had never met Diana Moridena or even had contact with her, which was ironic and upon reflection unfortunate given how both had dedicated themselves to fighting the Sith. Some people had called the Jedi Master a warmonger, a popular accusation in this day and age, often exploited as a weapon in the political circus. Siobhan found the accusation absolutely ridiculous and that was that. Diana was a woman who had played a vital role in tearing down the Sith Empire and deserved respect for that. From what she had heard the Jedi had found her end on Dromund Kaas fighting the Sith in defence of the Mandalorians. It spoke highly of her character that she had come to their aid despite their tensions with the Republic.


Siobhan had likewise been at the battle along with HK, though her path had not crossed with that of the paladin. Given the solemnity of the occasion she had foregone ostentation when it came to her attire. She merely wore her neatly pressed dark blue dress uniform, though devoid of her legion of commendations, beneath her leather coat, her lightsabre dangling at her side. Not like she needed armour to protect herself if need be, as nice as the beskar'gam was.


Former Exarch Kerrigan, second in command of the Protectorate during the reign of Tegaea Alcori as Lady Protector, stepped forward when her time had come, she gave the deceased Diana a crisp salute with military precision. Siobhan was no stranger to military funerals, having attended so many as commander of Omega Pyre, Exarch and now as second in command of Firemane Industries. The death toll after Gehenna, the final battle against the Bando Gora in which the chaos worshippers had been crushed, had been staggering. She had conditioned herself not to feel then, even if it made her feel numb. War was hell and demanded sacrifice. She seldom gave those whose lives she had sacrificed in the pursuit of victory much thought, but then it was difficult to remember their names and faces.


"I regret never meeting you. You'll be remembered, Master Moridena. May you find peace," she spoke softly. "Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter." The last line was spoken in slightly accented Eldarai and was actually a direct quotation from one of the chants of the Eldorai's sacred scriptures. Siobhan did not believe in their Goddess for a number of reasons, but it seemed fitting to her regardless and she liked their concept of heaven, though in her heart of hearts she doubted that she would enter such a realm when she as well perished. Her piece said she turned away to make way for others. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed [member="HK-36"] and [member="Ashin Varanin"], along with plenty other people. Quite a turn-out really.

 

[Allyson Locke]

He had heard the news and wanted to speak to his Master about it, he wondered if the woman had felt the emptiness at the other end of her force bond when Diana had passed. How could they have left her alone in that place? Daella had revealed herself to be Sith and Sopher being loyal followed her to the dark side. That left Diana, left her alone with the Jedi that sought to ostracize Daella and her. Thinking on this, a dent found its place in the middle of the control panel of the small private craft. He would pay his respects even though he had turned his back on the Jedi, it was dangerous to show his face, but he had to.

Like Daella, Diana was everything. She taught him to use a blade and nursed him back to health when he was foolish. She was the older sister he never had and he failed to protect her – he couldn’t lose someone else in his life. Leaning back in the small seat he stared at the ceiling, thinking he realized Diana was only the second woman he had lost in his life. Though unlike Evelynn, Diana was gone to a place he couldn’t reach. Another bang echoed as his fist hit the roof of the craft, causing another dent. Sitting there, he watched as people passed and headed towards the memorial, he wondered if they really knew her, really understood Diana or if they only showed because it helped make them look like better people. Hate started to stain his heart as he stood and drew a black cloak over his large frame.

Stepping out he headed towards the memorial, he kept his face hidden by the cloak and kept his wits about him in case someone wanted to start something. The boy continued to move and was caught by a holoimage of the woman. She stood proud and was how he remembered her. Sighing softly he wanted to reach out and find some way to ask her the questions he had lingering on his mind. Like Daella, Diana guided him, molded him and here was hiding in the dark like a rat. Looking up towards the sky, he smiled knowing that the Force he felt – Diana was a part of.

I will bring her back, Diana…I will see you soon.

 

[Cedric Dorn]

Lyna didn't move.

She didn't speak, she didn't approach anyone, she did nothing. Her eyes shifted from person to person. She recognized a few of course. Ayden Cater, the Lord Protector, the man in charge of the nation that the Kiffar followed. Avalore Eden, Diana's apprentice. A few others she knew, though their names either escaped her, or she didn't care to remember. She stood, simply hiding herself away from all these people that had apparently known her sister, or at least had heard of her.

Her sister had been a Jedi, famous the galaxy over for her exploits. Even with that knowledge Lyna was still surprised by the amount of people who had shown up here. Her eyes drifted across the small crowd that had gathered, all here to mourn her sister...or perhaps cause trouble.

Adjusting her hood the former Kiffu Guardian took a step back away from the front of the procession. She did not need anyone seeing her face and crying ghost, that would ruin this.

The girl frowned slightly, waiting.

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen's boots tapped against the ground, much like Tracyn Ordo, he had taken a set of light colors, pure white and off of his usual black. Often he could be found in only black, but this occasion called for far different. As he approached the memorial, there was a small twitch in his eyes. He hadn't spoken much with Moridena, but she had been the very first jedi knight that he actually met. Even his master Daella had met him afterwards. Yes, even though he hadn't known her as well as others, Diana had held a special place for him. He always looked up to her and o hear that she was gone. The pain was still fresh, he had only learned the day before as a mission on a planet had left him out of the loop. He stopped in front of the memorial, a small whine building in his throat. He bowed his head and respect and felt Ace do the same on his shoulder.

He would find a time to go through true mourning later, likely he'd find some planet as Amaran mourning howls could haunt the souls of those who heard them for years. For now, his eyes simply moved along the crowd. Accessing the force, he took in the pureness around him. Surrounded by these jedi thought tempered with sorrow of losing their friend was still a comfort in this time. Diana had died, but she would certainly be remembered. True, the code said that there was no death, and only the force. However the memories of this wonderful jedi brought Vulpesen to believe that she would be immortal in the lives she had touched. "Farewell Diana and you the force give you peace."

 

[Avalore Eden]

Previously...

"Preggo gets it all."

These were the words written in a hurry on a piece of official paper marked as Diana Moridena's last Will. Naturally, it took some time to understand what they meant.

"Miss Eden," a week ago, just a few days following the end of Dromund Kaas while we waited to receive Diana's remains, I was called ahead to Kiffu to meet with the Moridena family and Diana's standing Affairs Attorney.

"Miss Eden," he had to say my name twice because I was eating my feelings and making a mess of things. It took him a good solid cough to pull me from a rather delicious treacle tart. Diana's mother is an amazing cook, by the by.

"Would you know anything about this? We're all rather stumped you see, and you have been the only person in the last year that has had significant and regular contact with the deceased." He was a stuffy sort and you could tell he didn't get paid as much as he liked because his suit was second-hand. It didn't fit him right, the sleeves were too short and the shoulders were too wide. He cinched the waist in with a quick button fix. His tie was faded and he caught me staring at it one too many times to not be self-conscious. He pawed at it occasionally.

I took the paper and read it. It didn't take long. Four words an all. "Yeah, course I do, she means me." I don't think this is what they expected to hear, the Moridena family looked mildly surprised yet ... strangely comfortable with this. They smiled at me good naturedly, Diana's mother put her hand on mine as if to tell me without words that this result made her happy. The Attorney didn't seem to share their sentiments. It was a bit of a stretch, I'll give him that.

"Look, she picked me up at my 6 month mark. Or...actually, it's sort of the other way around," I babbled a bit about how I had first met Diana in a heap on a battle field and carried her back to safety while six months pregnant. Strange how her introduction into my life had such a similar ending. "I didn't have anywhere else to go. My former Master had been missing for two months. I healed Diana and she took me in, gave me a home with her on Cato Nemoidia at her Temple. I've been living with her ever since." In the end I had to show them correspondence with Diana where she called me Preggo to prove it. It was enough.

So what exactly did "it all" encompass?

"All private possessions, properties, royalties, values and inheritances. This includes the remains collected at Dromund Kaas - armor and weapons of the deceased and any items on her figure at the time of death. The Temple on Cato Neimoidia, privately commissioned, built, and owned by the deceased. Royalties of The Lightside Chronicles written by author Diamori Nadena, also known as Diana Moridena-"

I recall my jaw dropping so hard it hurt. Who knew. Who knew... that one of the greatest Jedi Blademasters of all time was behind the words of The Jedi and the Assassin: A Historical Romance and it's subsequent series of novels that followed. When did she even have the time?

" -all relative earnings of the deceased and monetary value per standing credit in all allotted accounts."

You can imagine my surprise. Everything. She'd given me everything. Every single item, down to the last book and teaspoon she'd ever owned. There were no words to describe what I felt. All I could do was blubber like fool. What was I going to do with all this?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Memorial
Avalore stood off to the side of the memorial, brown eyes glazed, ears buzzing with the sounds of all these faces. Presently the Jedi Knight was off in another place, thinking about the empty halls of the Temple on Cato Neimoidia, her home now. Just her, the body guard, the baby and the caretaker droid. Her stomach twisted uncomfortable.

Someone touched her arm.

She blinked, turning to find a face she had not really expected to see - which wasn't saying much. Avalore hadn't really expected to see any of these faces, but at least this one she had a name for.

"Mara," her voice struggled, tight with grief. Her eyes returned to the alter.

There had been nothing left of Diana after Dromund Kaas. The Master's body had become one with the Force, leaving behind her armor, weapons, and anything else she'd been carrying on her figure at the time. There was nothing to view, nothing to pay respects to. Diana's parents provided the holographic image and a beautiful headstone baring her name and some Kiffar inscription beneath. There were flowers and gifts left behind by familiars who'd attended before the arrival of the Jedi. There was an open patch of ground the size of a casket awaiting the funeral procession.

Off in the distance past the last row of homes, it began. Soft chanting echoed forth as slowly a line of Kiffu people, headed by Diana's family, carried in the pyre bed. Upon it was Diana's armor, awaiting to be cast to flame. Avalore couldn't bare to keep it, not when the Moridena family had nothing left to bestow their final blessings and farewells.

[member="Marakai Al'Orren"]

 

[Selena Halcyon]

The Memorial

Selena looked at the holographic image above the headstone. The blue flickering image could almost be a Force Ghost, and Selena so wished that it was. Just one last firey moment from the lost Jedi. In Diana Moridena, Selena had found hope in the darkest of times. When the Jedi were lost in the politics, hiding from their responsibilities in a galaxy clothed with darkness, Diana had stood out. She had been a part of a group of strong Jedi. Jedi willing to give everything they had for the galaxy they swore to protect. It was due to them that Selena had removed herself from working in the Shadows back to the forefront of the galaxy.

Why?

It did not make sense to the Jedi Master. The Force had been with them. It had been behind them and seen the end of the Sith Empire. Why had it forsaken them now? Why did it take one so important to mending the galaxy? Why did it take such a valiant leader?

When Selena had vanished into the unknown regions to track a lead, a lead that would later turn out to be the One Sith, she had trusted the Order to Jedi like Diana. She knew that she could leave it in their care. And through them that the galaxy would be healed. Yet, it had not been that way. No, those Jedi kept on doing what they did best. Acting. But in a council room filled with those who would rather play the game of politics instead of put their duty first, the old problems had arisen once more. So much so that the One Sith Selena had been tracking were able to seize Coruscant. Coruscant the gem of the galaxy! The pillar of order in the galaxy! The heart of it.

Daella was lost too, but in a way that grieved Selena perhaps more than Diana. It was said that her leaving had broken Diana in a terrible way. Selena understood it completely. The stoic woman had been a rock to lean upon. Selena had trusted her with much in her time organizing the Order. It was a broken place now. The galaxy was a broken place. She looked towards the front. Ayden Cater, Lord Protector, stood with pride. A good man Selena was sure, but one who could be so much more for the galaxy. Not far away... the pretender. Ashin Varanin. Masquerading as a Jedi, and many looked the other way to all of her actions in the past. Disgusting. Redemption was possible, but responsibility could never be ignored. Justice was lost here.

Why?

The One Sith were strong but in a galaxy that desires justice, they should be easily beaten back. Yet they had the center of the galaxy. Why would the Force allow such a thing? Why would it permit a Jedi capable of rallying people to the cause of justice fall? Why did it not protect her? Why did it not help her? Why? Why? Why!?

Why?

Selena touched her cheeks. After pulling it away, she rubbed her fingers together. They were damp.

Why?

Why would a Jedi Master with so much emotional do such a thing as cry?

 

[Soeht]

[ PRAKITH ]​

"My Lord," spoke out a Sith Acolyte with his knee to the ground before Daella.

At that moment, Daella had been meeting with military officers of the One Sith in order to plan out their strategy to the war. The war was a constant in her daily life. She turned to the Acolyte and gave him her attention.

"I've done a check on Diana Moridena as you asked," claimed the Acolyte. With joy in his voice, he then told Daella, "It seems she has finally perished on Dromund Kaas by her own hand!"

The immediate response from Daella was a still face and a single blink. She replied by curtly saying, "Very well. Dismissed."

The Acolyte gave a final, respectful bow of his head. He then got up and left out the same way that he came. Daella held her stance just as a statue.

Several silent seconds passed.

Unable to bear more silence, a military commander spoke up and said, "My Lord, what are your recommendations for the next operation?"

No verbal response. Daella lifted her right hand and placed her index finger upon the bridge of her nose with the palm covering her mouth. Her eyes tensed and twitched.

Again, the military commander waited for several seconds before prompting for an answer by saying, "My Lord?"

Upon hearing that, Daella slowly lowered her arm and continued to stare at the door for several more seconds.

The military commanders turned to each other with raised eyebrows. Before one of them spoke out again, Daella told them, "I need a more comprehensive scope of the operation. I expect it by our next meeting."

Turning to them, she bid them farewell with another terse, "Dismissed."

Without a word, the commanders gave a respectful bow to their Sector Lord and left the chamber. Upon being left alone, Daella's eyes looked to the holotable - where the One Sith had been laying plans. She approached the table and placed her hands upon it - placing her weight upon her arms as she leaned forward and attempted to the the data. Her eyes drifted downward as her eyes continued to twitch.

Several times over a couple minute span, Daella averted her eyes from the holotable with a scowl on her face. A couple times, she sniffed through her nose with narrowed eyes.

After a few more minutes had passed with Daella just barely looking at the holotable, her arms began to shake. She remained silent. Her face relaxed to a blank slate. Her cold blue eyes grew red - bloodshot rather than corrupted by the dark side.

In this condition, Daella remained for possibly up to half an hour.

After that time had passed, a shadow grew upon her back. A booming voice spoke to her. The magnitude of the voice could not even be described with words. Yet, Daella knew who it was and understood its meaning.

All sacrifices are necessary for my vision. You know this most of all, Apprentice. Use this to fuel your strength.​

Immediately, Daella lifted up her head. Her eyes glowed a bright crimson gold. She turned around and took a knee with a bowed head. Despite a somber face, she said with solemn resolve, "Yes, My Lord."

The shadow that covered her then disappeared. No one stood before her.